Fitch was also charged Friday in Ramsey County with three counts of first-degree attempted murder, three counts of drive-by shooting and three counts of second-degree assault for firing at police officers during a standoff eight hours after Patrick was killed.

The Ramsey and Dakota County attorneys plan to use a rare legal tactic against Fitch. It's called a multi-county grand jury, which means the charges would be combined. Residents of both counties would sit on the jury.

"We have convened one prior multi-county grand jury in Dakota County many years ago in the 1990s. I don't believe Ramsey County has ever done this. This is exactly the type of situation where I believe this process should be used," James Backstom, a Dakota County attorney, said.

According to the Dakota County criminal complaint, Fitch shot Patrick three times: once in the leg, abdomen and head.

A witness who heard the shots then used the officer's portable radio to call for help and announce there was an "officer down."